The fact is known by experts in the matter in regard to the regulations for work safety, especially the Law for the Prevention of Labour Related Risks, provision for the need for workers tasked with carrying out certain types of work in which they are exposed to certain risks, to make use of a diversity of elements that guarantee adequate protection for the different parts of the body. Likewise, in accordance with the regulations, depending on the nature of the works that have to be carried out, the worker must include components such as, a helmet or safety hat (with or without safety goggles, with or without ear protection, with or without face mask, in their individual protection equipment, without forgetting those helmets that are specifically defined for certain types of specific work), gloves, boots, etc. In addition, it is also frequently necessary for the working garment to be fitted with some type of harness that, where appropriate, allows the worker to be suspended from a “life line”, or other fixed or mobile anchorage points, with the use of some type of elastic, especially with a view to protecting the worker in the event of an accidental fall or a similar occurrence.
The problem that has been detected in practice is that all of the previously stated safety components, in spite of their use being compulsory, are sometimes not used by the worker in the due manner, or even frequently they do away with some of them, thus subjecting themselves to the corresponding risks in an absolutely unnecessary manner.
On the other hand, the existence of devices designed and created is known specifically for the connection of two separate elements to each other, for the purpose of one of them being used as a means of protection from the other, and in which the first is capable of being separated from the second at the moment of acquisition or the use of the latter. Such a case, for example, is that of the department stores or other types of shops, in which each item on display for sale has a means of protection that, in combination with the anti-theft bars installed in differing places in the areas of compulsory passage, set off the alarm devices in the event of any of these protectors passing through the protected areas, preventing such articles from being stolen. When the customer purchases one of these protected articles, an authorised employee applies a release mechanism over the protector device to carry out the effective separation between the protector device and the article acquired, thus enabling the latter to be taken out of the establishment.
With a view to preventing the previously referred to practical situations, in which the user of a work garment that has protective elements incorporated, being able to acquire the habit of leaving some of these protector elements in the situations in which they are required, in the current state of the art the technique of incorporating said components in the garment itself are known, in such a way that the worker has one of them within reach, and making the act of not using them more uncomfortable. With this an attempt at the correct use of the different protective elements has been developed. Along these lines, the existence of Spanish Patent No ES-2 187 335 is already known, in which an integral working safety garment is described that is made up of an overall into which a harness has been incorporated, that is fixed or stuck to the overall (visibly located on the outside of the overall), and in which the protective components include a helmet joined to the overall or harness by means of a flexible strip that prevents the physical separation of both elements, the same as happens with gloves, boots or goggles, also planned as an integral part of the protective equipment. Likewise, the inclusion of an anti-fall device has been provisioned, that is fixed by means of a support via a ring linked to an elastic element intended to dampen the effect of an eventual fall.
However, in spite of the fact that the working garment described in this patent document has undeniably meant a significant advance towards improving the protection of users, it is certain that it is not free from a series of difficulties that make it practically unusable. Thus, the type of fixing chosen for the connecting of the differing components with the garment (a flexible strap), are totally unsuitable, due to the fact that each one of the protective components (helmet, gloves, boots, . . . ) has a different useful working life: the average life of a helmet is calculated at around 3 to 5 years, whilst that of some gloves can be in the order of 1 to 6 months, that of footwear can be between 6 months and one year, whilst that of protective goggles can be in the order of 1 to 3 years, and so on successively; this means that in the case of a working garment conceived as in the earlier technique, the breakage with use of any of the components (helmet, gloves, . . . ) would mean the throwing away of the complete outfit, which would be totally uneconomic, or having the availability of resources or personnel that could be entrusted with the replacement of the damaged, worn or expired element for another one with the same characteristics, which would also become highly disadvantageous from the economical point of view and the investment in time and labour. In a like manner, the external placing of the harness could give rise to undesirable and dangerous snagging under certain situations, as also occurs with the fixing strap of the helmet that appears joined to the overall at the front, from a position located at chest level.
Taking the disadvantages associated to the working clothing of the type stated into account, of the types available in the current state of the art, this present invention has proposed the design of a noticeably improved garment as its main objective, with the differing protective elements incorporated into same, but in such a way as to become really effective, practical and functional for the differing activities in which they could be used. This objective has been fully fulfilled by means of the garment that is going to be the object of the description in the following part, whose main characteristics are contained in the characterising part of the annexed claim 1. In a like manner, and in accordance with the second main objective of the invention, a digitally activated fastener or lock is provided, for the fixed and safe connection between the working garment and each and every one of the differing protective elements joined to same, whose main characteristics are contained in claim 7 that follows.
In essence, as has been stated previously, the improved working garment proposed by the invention, is of the type which already incorporates each and every one of the elements that are necessary for the integral protection of the user of same, but in such a way that each one of said elements is anchored to the working garment with the aid of a releasable device that allows separation and replacement of a damaged, worn out or expired component, in a simple and quick manner. The means of joining each protective element with the work garment, has been designed as a “lockable” retainer, in such a way that it cannot be manually separated, but the opening of the lock demands the use of a releasing device that has been especially designed for that purpose (which does not form part of this present invention); this possibility of change and replacement of the differing components guarantees that the worker has the complete protective equipment available at all times and in perfect working order.
On the other hand, the invention has provisioned for the working garment to incorporate a harness integrated on the inside of the garment, with the use of a lining that, sewn to the suit, allows a housing to be formed in the form of “track”, suitable for the entire travel of the harness. The anti-fall device fitted to the harness is made up from a reduced weight retractable mechanism, that is fixed to the harness in previously specified positions, and which can be selected on the user's back area or equally on the front, or even be fitted on the side position to a safety belt worn by the user, this retractable mechanism even being able to be covered or lined with some type of cushioned protection to prevent damage to the user in the event of a fall. The fixing between the harness and the retractable device is carried out with the help of one or more intermediary parts designed for that purpose, as will be described below, and joined to the retractable device itself by means of an element that allows its separation from the harness when it is necessary.
Also, in accordance with the invention, it has been provisioned that the work garment incorporates a pocket on each sleeve, fitted with a closing zip (or another means with similar characteristics), adapted so that the user is able to put away the gloves on those occasions in which their use is not necessary.
In addition the working garment, designed in accordance with the invention, allows it to be manufactured in a multiplicity of textile varieties, which makes its use especially ideal for use in certain specific situations. Hence, garments can be obtained for high visibility, garments especially adapted to the construction industry, other types for chemicals (treated individually in each case depending on the chemical product to which they are going to be exposed), dielectric types, special garments for fire and heat, garments for winter and summer, . . . , etc.
Also, in accordance with a variation of the invention, and provided that its application will allow, the working garment can be designed in two parts, namely, jacket or waistcoat and trousers, fitted with the same protective equipment, being able in one of the last two cases to have a harness and a retractable mechanism incorporated, and in the other case being able to be free of these two elements.
As will be understood, a working garment conceived and designed in the way that has been explained above, means a substantial advance compared to other currently known garments that exist, noticeably improving the functionality and operating conditions of these types of garments, and in addition guaranteeing the change or replacement of any component that becomes damaged, worn out or expired, so as to keep the garment in perfect working conditions.
As for the retaining fastener designed by the invention, it has been conceived with reduced dimensions and weight, the mechanisms of which, together with the electronics which activate it, are to be found housed on the inside of a small box designed for that purpose. On the inside of this box there is an electro-magnetically activated retainer element, the core of which is made from a cylindrical body with a part of one end having a smaller diameter and which moves a short distance, sufficient to be housed in, or exit from, a perimeter neck made from a retaining rod that penetrates into the inside of the box through an opening made for the purpose, in such a way that it holds, or respectively releases, said rod in regard to the coupling with the box fastener. The stated rod has a head with a considerably greater diameter at the opposite end to that of the introduction, which when in the rod introduced position is separate from the plane of the box by a pre-determined distance, sufficient to house the parts or elements that have to be kept joined to each other. In addition, in another pre-determined position of the box, provision has been made for the incorporation of a suitable connector, intended to receive a connecting cable with a release device when it is required to release the rod from the connection, and in doing so the separation of the previously connected pieces.
As will be understood, one embodiment of that mentioned, allows the electrical supply of the fastener to be made from the release device, at the moment of the inter-connection of this with the fastener, in so doing avoiding the latter having to have batteries, thus reducing the weight of the working garment assembly into which it is fitted, and also reducing the possibility of an eventual unwanted manipulation attempting to release the fastener.
Even though the fastener has been defined in the above as a device specifically designed for application to working garments, it will be understood that one preferred application is being dealt with by virtue of the construction and design characteristics, but under no circumstances can it be understood as being by way of limitation, as the fastener is perfectly applicable to any other situation in which two separated elements must be kept together, and the free part of the fixing rod so permits.